The components are not that different in my opinion, between the Grand Tour and the Rondonee. I would easily choose the Randonee though because of the warranty and ability to test ride. The Grand Tour looks like a nice bike but a test ride is the BEST way to tell if you are going to be happy with a bike and comfortable on it. Plus, if you have ANY problems with your Randonee REI will take care of you 100% which you will not be able to say about BikesDirect.
Virtually everyone who owns a touring bike changes something out right away such as the saddle, seat, handlebars, pedals, stem, ect.... if you buy from REI they will often give you discounts on these small items and do the install for free. Overall then, if you factor in the service, the Randonee will be cheaper in the long run.